If you have heel pain, this is definitely worth trying. It might save you a lot of pain and grief and needless icing and abstinence (from running). It might spare you the fruitless search for heel cushions, padded shoes, foot splints, custom insoles, bla bla bla.

So, please try this first. Don't be like me ya. :)

You will Need

A golf ball

Your thumbs

Where Does it Hurt?
If it hurts directly on your heel it could be one of two trigger points, or both of them. If it hurts on the inside of your heel it could be a different set of trigger points. I'll cover the direct heel pain first. This is a sharp pain that feels like you stepped on a stone. Or a nail is being driven into your heel.

Find The Trigger Point

Credit: Trigger Point Therapy Workbook

Use your fingers and thumbs to feel along your: 1) calf muscle, and 2) your quadratus plantae, to find the trigger points.

As I explained in previous post, the pain in your heel can be 'referred pain' originating from a trigger point in your calves. It is usually located in the 'belly' of the muscle and is a solid/hard mass ranging from 'noodle' to 'pea' shape/size (read about my two guinea pigs here).

In Figure 10.29, the black dot marks where the trigger point will be. Feel very carefully along every inch around there, rubbing back and forth with your thumb with a rolling motion.

Q: How do I know For Sure I Found It? A: OUCH!Ya. It hurts when you push down on it. You don't even need to push hard. Just firmly. It surprised me the first time I felt and found that trigger point. That pea-like mass hurt exquisitely - only when I pressed on it.

A Good Kinda Pain
Now that you've found this first trigger point, use your thumbs and firmly rub it out in a smooth rolling motion. Do this 6-12 times. It will hurt, but in a good way. :)

This should deactivate the trigger point, resulting in the muscle being able to relax. You may discover that the heel pain and the tightness in your calves has eased. At this point you can safely stretch.

It's Still There
Okay, let's find the trigger point in your quadratus plantae next (Figure 10.55). This trigger point is very deep, so you will need to apply monstrous pressure with your thumbs to find it. Mine felt like a crunchy mass the size and shape of a bison rump steak gristle.

It will hurt.

And I don't mean the gristle.

To make it hurt some more, roll that painful spot over a golf ball. Work out the trigger point for about 6-12 good rolls.

And... Repeat
Do this every hour or two throughout the day. Stubborn trigger points can take up to two weeks before deactivating, but you should feel relief quite soon. For me, the pain went away like, immediately. Now, if you have pain on the inside of your heel, that's a different set of trigger points and I'll cover that soon.

It's Still There
If it didn't work for you, I'd love to hear about it!

Hi, Gracie, my husband had just recently suffered PF and I have been looking for ways to help him manage the pain. I found your articles highly instructive and I can't wait to share with him and start with the whole regime. Thank you very much for sharing!- Nur -

Hi, I suffered with plantar fasciitis for 8 months -to the point I seriously considered injections and amputation! It went away and after 3 months it's back - so disheartening! I'm going to start your treatment today - thank you so much. Debbie

Hi Grace, thanks for the article! I suffer from this too and found that the quickest way to deactivate a trigger point (TP) anywhere is with dry needling. I do it on myself, really! My plantar fasciitis is very old (has been with me for around 15 years now) and the TPs are really everywhere and very stubborn. Massaging did help ease the pain, but only a little. With dry needling, I feel a much greater relief. All that is needed are some acupuncture needles, proper sterilization and preferably a guide or book about dry needling so you know where there's a nerve (though you'll feel the pain when you do needle one! Know from experience, ouch!). Dry needling the foot is not dangerous because there are no risks associated with needling other areas of the body (pneumotorax, for instance). Try it, you'll find that you only need a fraction of the time you'd need with massage!